5 Tips for a Less Stressful Moving Experience

Regardless of where you may be moving to, whether it is within the same state or a state away, moving is an experience that not many homeowners relish no matter how eager they may be to start that new chapter.

Yet, more than 36.5 million people over the age of 1 moved at least once within 2011 and 2012 alone, thus making moving a common event for many American families. {Source: United States Census Bureau}

Now, don’t get me wrong, moving can be an exciting adventure for families as they anticipate the joy of settling into their new home, making new friends and finding their new city’s hidden gems.

But, with moving comes a moving experience, which often leaves families feeling stressed out due to the confusion and disorder that it brings. Truth be told, moving is one experience that makes many feel as if they’ve lost control.

Anytime you are faced with a move, it is important to remember that these reactions are common, and that in order to remain in control of the situation you must first prepare yourself by using any one or a combination of the following tips.

Get Organized

Formulate your plan of action by making a list of all of the things you need to do according to importance. Just make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to complete everything. If you’re unsure where to start, you can use this handy checklist.

Cut Down on the Clutter

More than anything, I hate clutter, which is why I can’t stress the importance of this tip enough! When you’re surrounded by stuff that either has no purpose or is no longer needed, it can get a little stressful.

Cutting down on the clutter – whether you donate it, sell it or toss it – during this time ensures you won’t waste precious time or space packing something you’re eventually going to get rid of after you move anyway.

Labels Are Your Friends

Repeat after me: “Labels are your friends.” This tip is actually quite simple. Arm yourself and anybody else that may be packing a stack of labels for whichever room you or they are packing that specifically states:

Kitchen

Living Room

Family Room

Master Bedroom

Kids Room (If you have more than one child, you may want to include their initial or name on the label as well.)

Bathroom

Storage

As each box is packed, just slap a label on each of its sides (and yes, I mean all four sides). Making sure that your boxes get put where they belong means you’ve already won half of the unpacking battle.

Ask for Help (and lots of it)

Moving is an experience that you shouldn’t tackle all on your own. While it’s not impossible – it does make it more unpleasant. Asking your friends and family for help can make it a lot more fun, not to mention faster.

Roll With the Punches

Let’s be honest – nothing, and I do repeat nothing, ever goes according to plan. Even if you’re the most organized person in the world and you’ve taken the time to thoroughly prepare yourself, unexpected events may still happen.

The only way anyone can truly remain stress free during this moving experience is to allow themselves some extra wiggle room. This way when you’re faced with an unexpected event, you can just roll with the punches in an attempt to remain calm.